Illinois State Representative Tom Weber called on Mar. 27 for stronger protections and background checks in the massage therapy industry after new lawsuits alleged that two women were sexually assaulted by therapists at Massage Envy. The women, who chose not to be identified, filed their cases hoping to prevent similar incidents from happening to others.
The issue has drawn attention to gaps in the state’s oversight of licensed massage therapists. A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said that action was only taken in January 2026 when one therapist’s license was temporarily suspended pending further review. The department is also examining a related conviction and stated it “will take any additional disciplinary action authorized under the Massage Therapy Practice Act as appropriate.” No disciplinary measures have been taken against a second therapist named in the lawsuits.
Weber criticized current state procedures, saying, “The way IDFPR works is, you get your initial background check, and then after that we rely on people to call in and self-report.” He first pushed for tighter regulations in 2023 following reports from CBS News Chicago that highlighted lapses between agencies responsible for handling criminal complaints and those managing professional licenses.
Although Weber said he has no firsthand knowledge of this specific case, he expressed concern over how convictions are handled: “That a conviction of an assault on a woman would not immediately remove someone’s license is shocking and appalling.”
Weber introduced legislation intended to require more thorough sharing of felony conviction records with licensing authorities and mandate background checks similar to those required for other health care workers. “We need to implement the same background checks and the same requirements for these individuals as we do someone that’s literally a [certified nursing assistant] or a maintenance person at a nursing home,” Weber said.
Weber was elected as a Republican representative in 2019 for Illinois’ 64th House District, succeeding Barbara Wheeler according to Ballotpedia.
Broader implications could include increased scrutiny across professional licensing boards if such measures are enacted. Observers will watch whether proposed legislative changes gain traction amid renewed public attention.
